Expanded plastic bag ban takes effect Monday

There’s one more thing San Franciscans need to add to their shopping list or pay up- a reusable bag.

On Monday, the city’s checkout ordinance ban signed into law in February takes effect, banning plastic bags at all retail stores and imposing a 10-cent charge for all other bags handed out by the store. Next October, the ban will extend to restaurants too.

A 2007 law prohibits large grocery stores and chain pharmacies from using plastic bags, but did not require them to charge a fee for giving away other bags.

The expanded ordinance brings San Francisco in line with 49 other cities and counties in California that ban plastic bags from retailers, according to the city’s Department of the Environment.

Despite the efforts of the Save the Plastic Bag coalition, which unsuccessfully sued the city over the ordinance, lawmakers supported the measure for its environmental benefits. It won’t make any money for the city – businesses get to keep the proceeds from bag sales – but officials hope it will help San Francisco reach a goal of zero waste by 2020.

“Every year 1 million single use plastic bags end up in the Bay,” said David Lewis, executive director of Save The Bay in a press release. “San Francisco is showing that it is vital to stop litter at its source before it flows into creeks, chokes wetlands, and harms wildlife.”

SF Environment said it has reached out to more than 9,000 retailers to inform them of the new law. The department will hold more than 50 events in October and November to distribute more than 7,000 free reusable bags. Another 10,000 will be handed out at Citibank locations.